The Story of Tum Teav
Tum meets Teav
The news about Teav’s marriage arrangement with Meun Ngourn reached Tum and Pich who lived nearby. Tum asked Pich what to do in this situation. Pich advised Tum to forget about Teav. He said that a woman who says one thing and does another will lead a man to a trap that might cost him his life. Tum said that this might be true for other women, but not for Teav. The Phahum and the ointment was a token of that. Tum was determined to have Teav even if he had to die. Tum went to Teav’s house without Pich. Yeay Phann was not home at the time, attending a ceremony at a temple. Tum was sitting in front of Teav’s house feeling very nervous. Teav saw Tum and asked Noh to invite him in and to ask the purpose of his visit. Tum told Noh that he came for Teav. Noh was perplexed because she did not recognize Tum who is now an ordinary man. Tum told Noh that he had been at the house a while back as a monk doing Smoat. He showed Noh the Phahum that he wore around his head and told her that it was a gift from Teav. When Teav heard the conversation, she was overjoyed. She opened the door and came out of her room to face Tum. They engaged in a long conversation:
Teav: I gave you the Phahum but did not ask you to use it to wrap around your head. Why do you see it as a token of something? Please go away.
Tum: I am not a fool. I have travelled very far just to see you. I will not leave without having you.
Teav: I am a stem of flower and you are a bee who comes to consume the flower juice and wander away.
Tum: I am a lion and you are a cave. Lion needs a cave and will never abandon it.
Teav: I am a port and you are a ship that docks at the port and then sails away.
Tum: I am a fish and you are the water. Fish needs water and never goes away from it.
Teav: I am a tree and you are a bird that finds a sanctuary temporarily, tires of it, and then moves on to a different tree.
Tum: I am a tiger and you are a jungle. Tiger is never tired of living in the jungle.
Teav: I am a branch of tree and you are a colony of bees that needs the tree branch to reproduce and then abandons it when it is done.
Tum: I am an elephant and you are a sugar cane. Elephants like sweet sugar cane and never get tired of it.
As they talked, Tum was getting closer and closer to Teav. He grabbed her and kissed her. At first, Teav resisted; later, she succumbed allowing Tum to be her lover. Noh saw the situation, quietly moved away to give them privacy. Teav was deeply concerned that Tum will not love her enough and that one day he will leave her. Tum assured Teav that he will love her until death. They exchanged vows. They stayed together until midnight. At that time, Yeay Phann came back. Teav knew and let Tum out of the room. Noh and all the servants came out to greet Yeay Phann as if nothing happened. When Yeay Phann saw Tum there, she asked when and why he was at her house. Tum replied that he had come since daytime on a business to buy cattle for farming and needed a place to stay. He reminded Yeay Phann that he is her godson and that he had previously performed a Smoat for her. Yeay Phann asked how long he will be staying. Tum said for a while, until he completed his business transaction. Yeay Phann happily agreed and asked the servants to prepare a room for Tum. Tum and Teav secretly consumed their love and Yeay Phann never suspected their affair. Meun Ngourn, the son of Lord Oar Choun, came to visit Teav from time to time bringing all kinds of gifts for Teav. He praised Teav’s beauty and vowed to take after her after the marriage. Teav ignored the gifts and did not say a word.